Beloved Aussie resort opened in the 60s enters a new era with fancy addition
It’s one of Australia’s most famous resorts, renowned for offering the unique opportunity to feed wild dolphins on the shore.
Tangalooma Island Resort, on Moreton Island, near Brisbane, first opened its doors to holidaymakers in the 1960s.
Tangalooma Resort on Moreton Island near brisbane has become a family favourite. Visit Queensland
Director David James has worked there for almost 40 years after starting as a scuba diving instructor soon after school.
And he says the same families return to the beloved spot, year after year.
“Since we started out as a timeshare model in the 1980’s we have a lot of the same guests still visiting the resort today,” he told nine.com.au.
“We even had a couple from Sydney, who had met at the resort in 1964. A year later they got married and had their honeymoon at the resort and last year they celebrated their 60th diamond anniversary at the resort.”
Once the location of the Tangalooma Whaling Station with a grim history, the resort remains in the family which bought it in the 1980s.
Tangalooma started out as a 20-room resort with 25 staff members. Now it has seven different types of accommodation and 350 staff.
And it’s the carefully-developed dolphin programme which stills attracts many guests.
A guest at Tangalooma Island in 1987. Nine
A road train takes guests from the launch to the Tangalooma resort in 1964. Nine
Sports on the beach at Tangalooma Island Resort in the 90s. Tangalooma Island Resort
Each evening a pod of wild bottlenose dolphins arrives to take fish from the hands of a group of resort guests and select day-trippers.
David said it’s the world’s leading dolphin scheme of its kind and is recognised by Tourism Australia as a leader in responsible wildlife tourism.
The creatures have been visiting for 45 years.
“Back in the 1980s, staff would head down after sunset to watch for wild dolphins visiting,” he said.
“One regular [dolphin], originally named Eric, was revealed to be female when she turned up in 1986 with a calf, named Bobo.”
Betty Osborne, who was the owner of the resort, renamed her Beauty.
Dolphin feeding at Tangalooma Island Resort in the 2000s. Tangalooma Island Resort
“She began accepting reject fish and bait tossed by guests fishing on the jetty, gradually learning to raise her head above the water looking for visitors,” David said.
“Beauty went on to become a regular fixture, returning in 1990 with another calf, Tinkerbell, and continuing her nightly visits through 1991.”
The owners then worked with the Marine Parks authority to establish dolphin feeding protocols and a permit.
In 1992, they formalised the program which allowed guests into the water to hand feed them.
Tangalooma Island Resort has grown in size since the 1980s. Tangalooma Island Resort
A cruising favourite
Now, a new era is on the way for the family favourite.
Tangalooma Dunes Cabana Club is a new upmarket spot on the sand at the resort. It opened in August and is the first beach club of its kind in Australia.
Carnival Cruise Lines has created the offering in partnership with the resort, as its ships call there.
The new Tangalooma Dunes Cabana Club opened in August. Tangalooma Dunes Cabana Club
Both Sydney-based Carnival Adventure and Carnival Splendor sail year-round to Moreton Island, visiting the beautiful Queensland destination nine times this winter alone.
“There’s no better way to enjoy some warmth this winter than with a relaxing, great value holiday onboard a Carnival Cruise to Tangalooma. It’s convenient, fun and a great way to bring loved ones together,” Carnival’s Assistant VP Sales & Marketing, Anton, Loeb said.
The beach club has 20 private beachfront cabanas costing $240 on weekdays and $290 at weekends for 9am-5pm for up to eight people.
The cost for cruisers is $399.99 a day.
Carnival Cruise Line calls at Moreton Bay with cruisers able to book the new cabanas. Carnival Cruise Line
“The cabanas were built to cater for the rising demand for more comfortable, premium ways to experience the beach,” David said.
“Guests want that mix now more than ever, somewhere genuinely relaxed but with a bit more polish and all the creature comforts you’d want for a fantastic day at the beach.”
October 1 marks the start of Cruise Month in Australia, a campaign to mark the arrival of the summer cruise season.
A retro shot of 1980 Tangalooma Tangalooma Island Resort
What’s next?
Outside Queensland, China is also a big market, with the company aiming to lure more visitors from overseas.
“Our main international visitors are from North America, Canada, the UK, Europe, New Zealand and Asia,” he said.
The resort is also planning more accommodation and indigenous cultural experiences.
“The resort has always grown by staying true to what makes Tangalooma special, and I don’t see that changing,” David said.
“The dolphin program will always be at the heart of it too, forty years on it’s still what people remember most.”
Tangalooma Resort on Moreton Island remains a popular cruise stop. iStock
Over the years he has noticed one change – how holidaymakers travel.
“When I started, people came for a week or two and just switched off, there were no mobile phones, no itinerary, just the beach and the boat trips on offer,” he said.
“Now everyone’s holiday is shorter and more scheduled.”
He said guests want to pack more in, and are often still connected to work or home through their phones.
“But I’ve also noticed people are hungrier for something real, they want to actually get in the water with the dolphins or head out on the dunes in the desert,” David said.
“They’re looking for those ‘bucket-list’, ‘core memory’ experiences.”
